Allied Chemical Corp. (A)

Abstract

Describes Allied, the chemical industry, and the effects of the Kepone problem (a toxic pesticide dumped into the James River) as of 1976. The executive in the case must decide whether the company should support the passage of the Toxic Substances Control Act and an internal program called Product Responsibility. Underlying these issues is the question of whether Allied should take a cooperative or adversarial approach to government relations.

Related Work

Describes Allied's cooperative approach to government relations and the approach of some of the regulatory agencies Allied deals with. Based mainly on quotes from Allied and government officials. Asks the student to evaluate Allied's government relations--in general and in the light of three product decisions.

More from these Authors

When we think of human behavior, especially from a moral perspective, we often rely on explanations based on character. We think that good decisions and responsible behavior require people with integrity and strong character and that immoral behavior originates within people with little integrity and weak character. However, important research in recent decades strongly suggests that situational factors often dominate character in ethical decision making—for leaders and for members of their organizations. This note summarizes the recent research, shows its implications for the basic steps in ethical decision making, and provides a basis for in-depth discussion of the character-versus-situation question.